Monday, March 13, 2006

God's Grace in This Life

This past weekend has been good for me - especially the all-night prayer. I was really encouraged by all the people who came and also by the participation of people through the night in prayer. I am grateful that God uses faith-filled prayers for His glory. While we might not see the results of our prayers immediately, we can be confident that God hears them all!

Also, watching the Passion was good for many people during the evening. I think it helped at least some people to re-focus their minds toward God. I always get choked up during the scene when Mary flashes back to when Jesus was a child and he falls. To think that Jesus was 100% man helps me to understand even more the torture of the cross.

Having said all this, I simply want to say that the Lord has brought me through this weekend by His grace. I say it that way because I see how dependent on me I have been, but God - always being gracious to me - continues to teach me (and guides me back towards Him). He is faithful and He wins me over again and again by His love!

May we all seek God's face, find His love and be amazed. "Perfect love casts out fear." ~ The Apostle John

10 comments:

AgapeTheologian said...

This doesn't have anything to do with what you just said but what is Phil Webster's blog?

Anonymous said...

why do we only have an emotional break down for a cerian time, and then go back to the sinful way we have been living.
~Anonymous

Pastor Timothy said...

Phil Webster's site is www.xanga.com/philhead.

Also, anonymous, I know what you're saying. You feel all sad about what you're doing. You say you're never going to do it again, and then you do it!

There's really two reasons. One is that it could just be a "worldly sorrow" that's written of in 1 Corinthians. Meaning, you just felt bad about what you did - not really about how it hurt God first and then maybe others. The second reason could be because you still have a "flesh." Paul talks about this in Romans 7. We still struggle with sin. And that's an important word - "struggle."

Some people say, "Oh, I struggle with this." But they're not really fighting their issues by focusing on God. But others really do fight. And it's warfare to them. That's what Paul was talking about in Romans 7. Someone might loose a lot, but he/she keeps re-focusing on God - pleading for His strength - trusting that He alone will help him/her to grow.

So, those are two reasons I can think of.

AgapeTheologian said...

Little Woody, this is what I wrote anonymous, seee if it helps...

Free will, it all depends how you see, 'Free Will'. In our perspective we have 100% free will. But to God's view we do not. This is very confusing and since we are human and stupid, we can not fully understand God. You may want to pick up, Bondage of the Will by Luther or Bondage and liberation of the Will by Calvin...
It kindof goes into election as well. God choose us, but because he choose us and loved us, therefore we love Him and now in adoption of Christ. But you see, God commands us to do certain things. We are responisible for our actions, but God is also sovergeion(A perfect plan). I don't know how these work together, but someone because I am not God, it does...Make sence, anyquestion referring to free will?



Does this help, if not say say!


-Justin

Anonymous said...

my queston was when we watched the passion, we got all sad and such, and then I have heard that people, just go back to their normal way of living, and are just sad for just a liitle while.
~Anonymous

Anonymous said...

pt- I love the same part!!!

Anonymous said...

anonymous.. duh, we are FLESH, that is why we keep our 'high" . it shows us we NEED God.
-K

Anonymous said...

k,
please donot treat me like I am dumb.
~Anonymous

Anonymous said...

hey A- Ask God to help you NOT forget your passionate times and to make gie a desire for HIM ALWAYS. the real test comes, when we are 'low'or going through trials- whats gonna be the response, then the grace that God gives is SUCH HIGH> got to love it..
sorry if you thought i was saying you were dumb, didn't mean to sound like that, forgive me?
-K

Pastor Timothy said...

K - good comments. I think we always need to realize our need for God in our lives. That's why "asking" is so important. God uses that humble spirit to grant even more grace in our lives.